Trump Signs Executive Order Renaming the Department of Defense

Signaling signs of declining mental acuity, Donald Trump recently signed a symbolic executive order to rename the Department of Defense as the “Department of War.” During the signing, Trump commented:

“And we’ve been talking about this Department of War. So we won the First World War, and we won the Second World War. We won everything before that and in between. And then we decided to go woke and changed the name to Department of Defense. So we’re going Department of War.”

He then asked Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to speak, citing a preference for the older name, especially given current global tensions. However, the United States had no wars between the First and Second World Wars, making the claim of “winning” the wars before the second somewhat inaccurate. Trump’s assertion that subsequent wars were lost due to “wokeness” is a bizarre and inaccurate interpretation of complex military histories.

Trump has previously labeled conflicts like the Korean War, Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq as “woke,” which distorts the realities of these wars’ long histories and strategic challenges. This executive order is largely a performative gesture, as it lacks legal authority and would require substantial support and Senate approval—neither of which are likely, especially given Trump’s diminished influence.

This move appears to be an attempt to project strength and nationalism while his administration faces internal and external challenges. Critics view it as another example of Trump’s obsession with appearances over substantive policy.

What are your thoughts on this symbolic action? Share your opinion below.